###Live Caption:The surrounding neighborhood is reflected in the windows of the Hollywood Video store, now vacant, at 1575 South Van Ness, corner of Cesar Chavez, in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, May 5, 2008.
Photo by Katy Raddatz / San Francisco Chronicle###Caption History:The surrounding neighborhood is reflected in the windows of the Hollywood Video store, now vacant, at 1575 South Van Ness, corner of Cesar Chavez, in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, May 5, 2008.
Photo by Katy Raddatz / San Francisco Chronicle###Notes:chainstore###Special Instructions:MANDATORY CREDIT FOR PHOTOG AND SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE/NO SALES-MAGS OUT less

###Live Caption:The surrounding neighborhood is reflected in the windows of the Hollywood Video store, now vacant, at 1575 South Van Ness, corner of Cesar Chavez, in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, May 5, ... more

Photo: KATY RADDATZ

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###Live Caption:Traffic streams by on Cesar Chavez St. by the Hollywood Video store, now vacant, at 1575 South Van Ness, corner of Cesar Chavez, in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, May 5, 2008.
Photo by Katy Raddatz / San Francisco Chronicle###Caption History:Traffic streams by on Cesar Chavez St. by the Hollywood Video store, now vacant, at 1575 South Van Ness, corner of Cesar Chavez, in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, May 5, 2008.
Photo by Katy Raddatz / San Francisco Chronicle###Notes:chainstore###Special Instructions:MANDATORY CREDIT FOR PHOTOG AND SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE/NO SALES-MAGS OUT less

###Live Caption:Traffic streams by on Cesar Chavez St. by the Hollywood Video store, now vacant, at 1575 South Van Ness, corner of Cesar Chavez, in San Francisco, Calif. on Monday, May 5, 2008. Photo by Katy ... more

Photo: KATY RADDATZ

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Supervisor Tom Ammiano is working on legislation to ban chain stores along stretches of some streets. Chronicle Graphic

Supervisor Tom Ammiano is working on legislation to ban chain stores along stretches of some streets. Chronicle Graphic

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S.F. grows ever more hostile to chain stores

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A paint company and a landlord in San Francisco's Mission District thought they had a good deal when they signed the lease for a paint store to move into a former video rental shop earlier this year.

But the plan had a problem: The paint company, which owns the Glidden brand, is considered a chain store and therefore was not a popular choice. The Planning Commission stopped the move, even though the company wanted to occupy a vacant spot abandoned by bankrupt Hollywood Video, another chain.

The fight illustrates how San Francisco - a city that values homegrown companies and neighborhood character - is increasingly hostile to chain stores and restaurants, even if the businesses want to move into empty stores.

And although the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is expected to reconsider the paint store's request at its meeting today, the push to stop chain stores from opening in the city is unlikely to ease soon.

Supervisor Tom Ammiano is working on legislation to ban all chain stores from some stretches of Mission, Valencia and 24th streets in the Mission District and Cortland Avenue in Bernal Heights. Two smaller areas - in Hayes Valley and North Beach - already have outright bans on chain stores.

The city's restrictions on new chain stores have become increasingly tough over the past few years. In 2003, the Board of Supervisors approved a law requiring proposed coffeehouses and pharmacies to provide notice of their intent to open. That made it easier for opponents to request Planning Commission hearings and to argue against the stores.

In 2006, voters passed Proposition G, obligating the Planning Commission to hold public hearings on any proposed chain store and to decide whether it is appropriate based on the stores already in the area, architectural compatibility and other considerations.

Businesses fall under that law if they are retail sales establishments with 11 or more U.S. stores that maintain two or more standardized features, including decor, facade, color scheme, uniforms, signage or trademark.

Since 2006, seven of 12 chain store applications have been approved in San Francisco. The others were rejected or the applications were withdrawn.

In recent months, however, chain store owners with applications before the Planning Commission have encountered renewed hostility and skepticism. Some commissioners have stated flatly that they don't like chain stores under any circumstances.

Last month, the commission indicated it would stop a Ralph Lauren store from replacing a closed Smith and Hawken store on Fillmore Street. Both businesses are upscale retail stores. The commission approved the permit only after Ralph Lauren agreed to provide many community programs and services.

Kathrin Moore, a commissioner who has been outspoken against chain stores, said they hurt local merchants and often are more harmful to the environment because their goods must be transported from outside the city.

"San Francisco is in the unique position of being able to encourage entrepreneurial retail to stand up to (chain stores), putting us ahead of the game in terms of sustainability," Moore said.

ICI Paints operated a store on Market Street for 65 years but needed to relocate after its lease expired last year. The company wanted to move into the shuttered Hollywood Video, whose parent company had gone bankrupt and left longtime landlord Ken Allen without a tenant.

Allen worried that the vacant property would attract graffiti, garbage and other blight. He said he surveyed most neighbors within 300 feet of the site and found that most favored the paint store, in part because the nearest existing one is more than half a mile away.

But as part of their review, planning commissioners concluded that the property could be used for something more beneficial to the community - possibly new housing and some non-chain stores, although no developer had proposed such an alternative.

Public comments related to the project seemed to indicate a split of opinion in the neighborhood about the store, according to the city Planning Department. City planners, disagreeing with the elected commissioners, supported the paint store.

Allen said the commission's decision to deny the application was unfortunate. "An empty lot doesn't do anyone any good. It's much better to have someone in there, keeping it clean and taking care of it," he said.

At a hearing before the commission in February, ICI Paints attorney Paul Johnson implored commissioners to focus on the existing property and not what might be there someday.

"We're not adding (chain) retail - one is replacing another," Johnson said. "We're concerned about getting open as soon as possible ... we want to get workers back to work at that location."

With one commissioner absent, the body voted 3-3, which meant that the project was denied. ICI Paints has appealed to the Board of Supervisors, the appellate body on city land-use issues.

Supervisors are expected to overturn the decision today. But that isn't likely to end the debate.

Ammiano said he proposed broader legislation to ban chain stores because he was seeing a trend toward "homogenization," noting the high number of Walgreens stores in the Mission as well as a handful of pending applications from other chains.

Ammiano, who was traveling and could not be reached by phone, said in an e-mail statement: "I think it's prudent to address the issue now so we have a comprehensive plan and process to follow that makes sense for the community instead of an inconsistent and piecemeal approach."

Some have questioned the wisdom of Ammiano's suggested ban and the large area it would cover.

"The Planning Department believes that the permit process works and that you don't need a total ban," said Tara Sullivan-Lenane, a city planner. "The permit applications allow for neighborhood concerns to be heard and the neighborhoods aren't all the same, so they have unique concerns and interests."

The Planning Commission is scheduled to review Ammiano's proposal again in June. Any legislation would need to be approved by the Board of Supervisors.

To get involved

Hearing: The Board of Supervisors will hear an appeal by ICI Paints, which wants to move into a Mission District store. The hearing begins at 2 p.m. today at City Hall in the supervisors' chambers.

Contact: To contact Supervisor Tom Ammiano about his proposed ban on chain stores in parts of the Mission District and Bernal Heights, call (415) 554-5144 or e-mail Tom.Ammiano@sfgov.org.